The Place of Symbolic Capital in a Metamodern Society: Values and Habitus Matrices

Abstract

In metamodernity, as a new stage in the mental development of society, the priority is the sphere of meanings and sociocultural values that arise in the new reality. This circumstance problematizes issues of social interaction regarding the mechanisms and processes of value changes, in which symbolic capital occupies the main place. The purpose of the work is to analyze the value transformations of metamodern society and determine the place of symbolic capital occupied in it. The study was conducted in a synergetic paradigm; its methodological basis was made up of socio-philosophical, structural-functional and socio-synergistic approaches. As a result, the reason for the transition of the postmodern to metamodern type of thinking was explained for the first time; it is a new form of social interaction, which is virtual social networks, which resulted in the emergence of virtual habitus matrices. The author’s definition of the concept of «habitus matrices» is given - this is a mesostructure of interconnected habituses that, with the help of informal norms, regulate the everyday life of people. Their functioning through symbolic capital as a credit of trust is explained. The origin of habitus matrices is shown, mediated by the exclusion of delegates from the chain of interaction between institution and habitus. Instead of delegates, such intermediaries are now often virtual social networks or other types of social communications. The risks of transformation of basic values are identified, among them the main one is the emerging crisis of legitimation, which can reduce the effectiveness of institutional regulation and lead to the growth of marginal zones of society. The author’s solution to the problem of the riskiness of value transformations of society is proposed, which consists in the idea of improving the methods of institutional regulation of virtual habitus matrices. It is concluded that, firstly, in a metamodern society, symbolic capital performs the function of selecting values that are most conducive to social interaction and stability and, secondly, that metamodern values direct individuals to socialization and the development of social relations. The results of the study can be applied in the field of social management, in socio-philosophical science, social theory and practice.